From: "Rich Gauszka" 

It's basically fuel for the late night comics.

"it has become clear that Cheney was doing the country a service when
he avoided service."


"Mark"  wrote in message
news:43f11af0{at}w3.nls.net...
> It occurs to me that if Cheney had been the one peppered, the press would
> be falling over themselves to insist that "accidents happen"
instead of
> floating dark conspiracy theories about cover-ups because their cell
> phones didn't ring with a report from the scene before the last of the
> bird shot fell to the ground...
>
> "Gary Britt"  wrote in message
> news:43f11464{at}w3.nls.net...
>> Anyone whose ever gone quail hunting knows just how easy it is to get
>> sprayed.  Things can get pretty nuts on a long line dove hunt also.  Its
>> really a miracle there aren't more such accidents.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> "Rich Gauszka"  wrote in message
>> news:43f0f8dd{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> Thinks to live by
>>>
>>> Wash your hands
>>>
>>> Don't go hunting with Cheney
>>>
>>>
>>> "Mark"  wrote in message
news:43f0f5c4{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> > Ted Nugent was right after all?
>>> >
>>> > Seriously though, all those tips sound like the standard safety
>> procedures
>>> > to avoid salmonella from chicken, so shouldn't be
anything new for any
>>> > responsible cook -- does make one want to eat in more
often than out
>>> > though.
>>> >
>>> > "Rich Gauszka" 
wrote in message
>>> > news:43f0dd1e{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> >> It looks like cats can only spread Toxoplasma via their feces.
>>> >>
>>> >> The CDC reports that more than 60 million Americans
are infected
>>> >>
>>> >>
>> http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.
htm
>>> >> No, cats only spread Toxoplasma in their feces for a few weeks
>> following
>>> >> infection with the parasite. Like humans, cats rarely
have symptoms
>> when
>>> >> first infected, so most people do not know if their
cat has been
>>> >> infected. The infection will go away on its own;
therefore it does
>>> >> not
>>> >> help to have your cat or your cat's feces tested for
Toxoplasma.
>>> >>
>>> >> How can I prevent toxoplasmosis?
>>> >>
>>> >> There are several general sanitation and food safety
steps you can
>>> >> take
>>> >> to reduce your chances of becoming infected with Toxoplasma.
>>> >>
>>> >> Wear gloves when you garden or do anything outdoors
that involves
>>> >> handling soil. Cats, which may pass the parasite in
their feces,
>>> >> often
>>> >> use gardens and sandboxes as litter boxes. Wash your
hands well with
>> soap
>>> >> and water after outdoor activities, especially before
you eat or
>> prepare
>>> >> any food.
>>> >>
>>> >> When preparing raw meat, wash any cutting boards,
sinks, knives, and
>>> >> other utensils that might have touched the raw meat
thoroughly with
>> soap
>>> >> and hot water to avoid cross-contaminating other
foods. Wash your
>>> >> hands
>>> >> well with soap and water after handling raw meat.
>>> >>
>>> >> Cook all meat thoroughly; that is, to an internal
temperature of 160ø
>>> >> F
>>> >> and until it is no longer pink in the center or until
the juices
>>> >> become
>>> >> colorless. Do not taste meat before it is fully cooked.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> "Gary Britt"
 wrote in message
>>> >> news:43f0d833{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> >>> As a cat owner with one cat that regularly eats
wild mice, it
>>> >>> concerns
>>> >>> me
>>> >>> that cats are a prevalent carrier.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> I'd be interested if you get more info on it, and
what it takes to
>> kill
>>> >>> the
>>> >>> parasite, etc.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Thanks,
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Gary
>>> >>>
>>> >>> "Rich Gauszka"
 wrote in message
>>> >>> news:43f0b963$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> >>>> Start with Cheney - keep all shotguns away
from him temporarily at
>>> >>>> least
>>> >>> :-)
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Ideology aside - that half the worlds
population is affected by
>>> >>>> Toxoplasma
>>> >>>> parasites  is interesting. I wonder if there
are any studies by
>>> >>>> geographic
>>> >>>> location?
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> "Gary Britt"
 wrote in message
>>> >>>> news:43f0ac7e{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> >>>> > Bush is a dog person.  The common thread
in all of this is the
>>> >>>> > host
>>> >>>> > engages
>>> >>>> > in behavior calculated to lead to its
death.  In other words the
>>> >>>> > hosts
>>> >>> are
>>> >>>> > trying to commit suicide.  This would
explain not neocon
>>> >>>> > behavior,
>>> >>>> > but
>>> >>>> > liberal neo surrender monkey behavior. 
They are trying to do
>>> >>>> > everything
>>> >>>> > they can to interfere with their defense
in the face on an
>>> >>>> > intractable
>>> >>> and
>>> >>>> > deadly enemy (i.e., they are trying to
commit suicide).  Maybe we
>>> >>>> > should
>>> >>>> > start testing Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi,
Cindy Sheehan, everyone
>>> >>>> > at
>>> >>>> > Daily
>>> >>>> > KOS, Monte, etc for these parasites.
>>> >>>> >
>>> >>>> > Gary
>>> >>>> >
>>> >>>> > "Rich Gauszka"
 wrote in message
>>> >>>> > news:43efa227{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> >>>> >> Maybe the neocons have a valid
excuse. The Toxoplasma didn't
>>> >>>> >> like
>>> >>> Saddam?
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>
>> http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060211/sc_space/mindcontrolbyparasites
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Mind Control by Parasites
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Half of the world's human population
is infected with
>>> >>>> >> Toxoplasma,
>>> >>>> > parasites
>>> >>>> >> in the body-and the brain. Remember that.
>>> >>>> >> Toxoplasma gondii is a common
parasite found in the guts of
>>> >>>> >> cats;
>> it
>>> >>>> >> sheds
>>> >>>> >> eggs that are picked up by rats and
other animals that are eaten
>> by
>>> >>> cats.
>>> >>>> >> Toxoplasma forms cysts in the bodies
of the intermediate rat
>> hosts,
>>> >>>> >> including in the brain.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Since cats don't want to eat dead,
decaying prey, Toxoplasma
>>> >>>> >> takes
>>> >>>> >> the
>>> >>>> >> evolutionarily sound course of being
a "good" parasite, leaving
>> the
>>> >>> rats
>>> >>>> >> perfectly healthy. Or are they?
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Oxford scientists discovered that
the minds of the infected rats
>>> >>>> >> have
>>> >>>> >> been
>>> >>>> >> subtly altered. In a series of
experiments, they demonstrated
>>> >>>> >> that
>>> >>>> >> healthy
>>> >>>> >> rats will prudently avoid areas that
have been doused with cat
>>> >>>> >> urine.
>>> >>> In
>>> >>>> >> fact, when scientists test
anti-anxiety drugs on rats, they use
>>> >>>> >> a
>>> >>>> >> whiff
>>> >>>> >> of
>>> >>>> >> cat urine to induce neurochemical panic.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> However, it turns out that
Toxoplasma-ridden rats show no such
>>> >>> reaction.
>>> >>>> > In
>>> >>>> >> fact, some of the infected rats
actually seek out the cat
>>> >>>> >> urine-marked
>>> >>>> > areas
>>> >>>> >> again and again. The parasite alters
the mind (and thus the
>>> >>>> >> behavior)
>>> >>> of
>>> >>>> > the
>>> >>>> >> rat for its own benefit.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> If the parasite can alter rat
behavior, does it have any effect
>>> >>>> >> on
>>> >>>> >> humans?
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Dr. E. Fuller Torrey (Associate
Director for Laboratory Research
>> at
>>> >>>> >> the
>>> >>>> >> Stanley Medical Research Institute)
noticed links between
>> Toxoplasma
>>> >>> and
>>> >>>> >> schizophrenia in human beings,
approximately three billion of
>>> >>>> >> whom
>>> >>>> >> are
>>> >>>> >> infected with T. gondii:
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>   a.. Toxoplasma infection is
associated with damage to
>> astrocytes,
>>> >>> glial
>>> >>>> >> cells which surround and support
neurons. Schizophrenia is also
>>> >>>> >> associated
>>> >>>> >> with damage to astrocytes.
>>> >>>> >>   b.. Pregnant women with high
levels of antibodies to
>>> >>>> >> Toxoplasma
>>> >>>> >> are
>>> >>>> >> more
>>> >>>> >> likely to give birth to children who
will develop schizophrenia.
>>> >>>> >>   c.. Human cells raised in petri
dishes, and infected with
>>> >>>> >> Toxoplasma,
>>> >>>> > will
>>> >>>> >> respond to drugs like haloperidol;
the growth of the parasite
>> stops.
>>> >>>> >> Haloperidol is an antipsychotic,
used to treat schizophrenia.
>>> >>>> >> Dr. Torrey got together with the
Oxford scientists, to see if
>>> >>>> >> anything
>>> >>>> > could
>>> >>>> >> be done about those
parasite-controlled rats that were driven to
>>> >>>> >> hang
>>> >>>> > around
>>> >>>> >> cat urine-soaked corners (waiting
for cats). According to a
>>> >>>> >> recent
>>> >>> press
>>> >>>> >> release, haloperidol restores the
rat's healthy fear of cat
>>> >>>> >> urine.
>>> >>>> >> In
>>> >>>> > fact,
>>> >>>> >> antipsychotic drugs were as
effective as pyrimethamine, a drug
>> that
>>> >>>> >> specifically eliminates Toxoplasma.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Are parasites like Toxoplasma subtly
altering human behavior? As
>> it
>>> >>> turns
>>> >>>> >> out, science fiction writers have
been thinking about whether or
>> not
>>> >>>> >> parasites could alter a human
being's behavior, or even take
>> control
>>> >>>> >> of
>>> >>> a
>>> >>>> >> person. In his 1951 novel The Puppet
Masters, Robert Heinlein
>> wrote
>>> >>> about
>>> >>>> >> alien parasites the size of dinner
plates that took control of
>>> >>>> >> the
>>> >>> minds
>>> >>>> > of
>>> >>>> >> their hosts, flooding their brains
with neurochemicals. In this
>>> >>> excerpt,
>>> >>>> >> a
>>> >>>> >> volunteer strapped to a chair allows
a parasite to be
>>> >>>> >> introduced;
>>> >>>> >> the
>>> >>>> >> parasite rides him, taking over his
mind. Under these
>>> >>>> >> conditions,
>> it
>>> >>>> >> is
>>> >>>> >> possible to interview the parasite;
however, it refuses to
>>> >>>> >> answer
>>> >>>> >> until
>>> >>>> >> zapped with a cattle prod.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>   He reached past my shoulders with
a rod. I felt a shocking,
>>> >>> unbearable
>>> >>>> >> pain. The room blacked out as if a
switch had been thrown.. I
>>> >>>> >> was
>>> >>>> >> split
>>> >>>> >> apart by it; for the moment I was masterless.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>   The pain left, leaving only its
searing memory behind. Before
>>> >>>> >> I
>>> >>>> >> could
>>> >>>> >> speak, or even think coherently for
myself, the splitting away
>>> >>>> >> had
>>> >>> ended
>>> >>>> > and
>>> >>>> >> I was again safe in the arms of my master...
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>   The panic that possessed me washed
away; I was again filled
>>> >>>> >> with
>>> >>>> >> an
>>> >>>> >> unworried sense of well being...
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>   "What are you?" "We
are the people... We have studied you and
>>> >>>> >> we
>>> >>>> >> know
>>> >>>> > your
>>> >>>> >> ways... We come," I went on,
"to bring you peace.. and
>>> >>>> >> contentment-and
>>> >>>> >> the
>>> >>>> >> joy of-of surrender." I
hesitated again; "surrender" was not the
>>> >>>> >> right
>>> >>>> > word.
>>> >>>> >> I struggled with it the way one
struggles with a poorly grasped
>>> >>>> >> foreign
>>> >>>> >> language. "The joy," I
repeated, "-the joy of . . .nirvana."
>>> >>>> >> That
>>> >>>> >> was
>>> >>> it;
>>> >>>> >> the word fitted. I felt like a dog
being patted for fetching a
>>> >>>> >> stick; I
>>> >>>> >> wriggled with pleasure.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Still not sure that parasites can
manipulate the behavior of
>>> >>>> >> host
>>> >>>> > organisms?
>>> >>>> >> Consider these other cases:
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>   a.. The lancet fluke Dicrocoelium
dendriticum forces its ant
>> host
>>> >>>> >> to
>>> >>>> >> attach to the tips of grass blades,
the easier to be eaten. The
>>> >>>> >> fluke
>>> >>>> > needs
>>> >>>> >> to get into the gut of a grazing
animal to complete its life
>> cycle.
>>> >>>> >>   b.. The fluke Euhaplorchis
californiensis causes fish to
>>> >>>> >> shimmy
>>> >>>> >> and
>>> >>>> >> jump
>>> >>>> >> so wading birds will grab them and
eat them, for the same
>>> >>>> >> reason.
>>> >>>> >>   c.. Hairworms, which live inside
grasshoppers, sabotage the
>>> >>>> > grasshopper's
>>> >>>> >> central nervous system, forcing them
to jump into pools of
>>> >>>> >> water,
>>> >>>> >> drowning
>>> >>>> >> themselves. Hairworms then swim away
from their hapless hosts to
>>> >>> continue
>>> >>>> >> their life cycle.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >> Not all science-fictional parasites
are harmful; read about the
>>> >>> Crosswell
>>> >>>> >> tapeworm from Brian Aldiss' 1969
story Super-Toys Last All
>>> >>>> >> Summer
>>> >>>> >> Long
>>> >>>> > (the
>>> >>>> >> basis for the Kubrick/Spielberg film
AI), which keeps people who
>>> >>> overeat
>>> >>>> >> from becoming obese. Not to mention
robots based on parasites.
>> Read
>>> >>> press
>>> >>>> >> release on evidence for link between
Toxoplasma and
>>> >>>> >> schizophrenia,
>>> >>>> > Suicidal
>>> >>>> >> grasshoppers. Story via blogger Carl
Zimmer and his readers.
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >>
>>> >>>> >
>>> >>>> >
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

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